8 Events In Boston You Can’t Miss Out On

Boston is a crazy busy city- so busy that sometimes it can be hard to figure out exactly what’s going on and where. When something new comes to town, it’s a great way to break out of your routine and get involved in something you’ve never tried before. If you’re ready to branch out and jump into everything the city has to offer, check out these 8 events in Boston you can’t miss out on.

1. Hempfest

Hempfest happens in the Boston Common every year in early fall when the weather is still pleasant. The festival is a casual and fun celebration of marijuana, which is now legal in our state.

If you’re over 21, you can visit all the booths set up and purchase a wide range of products and paraphernalia that the vendors have to offer.

If you’re not quite of age yet, the event is still one that you can’t miss. There’s music and plenty of other things to see. Not to mention, everyone else around is bound to be in a great mood, so it’s a perfect way to get out of your comfort zone and meet new people, or just walk around and people-watch in the refreshing weather.

Hempfest is a Boston staple, so even if smoking isn’t your thing, it’s a local event that you can’t miss!

2. Copley Square Farmer’s Market

The Copley Square farmer’s market runs from May through November. It’s open from 11 am to 6 pm on Tuesdays and Fridays, and the market is a must-see for summer and fall residents.

The market sells produce and pastry items, and many food trucks often set-up nearby as well.

Farmer’s markets are inarguably a perfect fall aesthetic, and whether you’re stocking up on groceries for the week or just looking for a snack, this market is an ideal outing.

Conveniently located steps away from the Copley Square T stop, the market is also a short walk away from the Boston Public Library, the Prudential Center, Newbury Street, and countless other restaurants and shops. A visit to this market could be an outing in itself, but it would also be an opportune stop on a day out in the city.

3. Boston Marathon

Since the tragedy in 2013, the annual marathon has been going strong. Whether you’re a runner or not, the Boston Marathon is a fun and meaningful way for the city to come together.

Happening every spring, the path of the Boston Marathon runs through the most scenic and notable parts of the city and depending on where you live, the runners might pass by right underneath your window.

If you’re looking for some inspiration to jump into a workout routine, training for this marathon could be a great opportunity. If you want to support the event or are just looking for a fun way to spend an afternoon, there are plenty of ways to get involved or just cheer on the runners on the sideline.

The 2020 Boston Marathon is happening on Monday, April 20th, so be sure to mark your calendars because this is another one you can’t miss!

4. Halloween in Salem

Salem has a reputation for the spooky after being home to the infamous Salem witch trials. The city has fully embraced this reputation and has now become the place to be in the days leading up to Halloween.

Salem hosts a plethora of Halloween inspired events, with the majority of the festivities happening in the week before Halloween. The events include a dog costume parade, tours of haunted sites, and spooky museum exhibits, among many, many more.

That being said, Salem has plenty to do for the entire month of fall- you don’t have to wait until late October to check it out. The city owns its claim to fame beyond simply the Halloween-specific events. The whole city seems to be at least somewhat Halloween themed, and restaurants and bars give in to the season as well.

If you’re a Halloween fanatic, or just looking for a festive way to explore all the city has to offer, this is one you can’t miss.

5. Boston Common Tree Lighting

If Halloween isn’t quite your speed and the winter holidays are more your thing, you can’t miss the tree lighting in the Boston Common.

Every winter the common, public garden, and city as a whole are decorated for the holidays and it is a sight to see until the new year. Walks through these spaces to take in the lights are common and make for a gorgeous date.

While these lights can be enjoyed for months, seeing the tree in the common come to life for the first time is a sight to see. It’s an event in itself as many people come to see it happen, and it’s a perfect way to ring in the holiday spirit.

So get in the holiday spirit, bundle up, and see Boston’s Christmas tree come to life for the season!

6. Women Take the Floor

Whether you’re an art connoisseur or have never visited the Museum of Fine Arts, this installation in the Boston MFA is one to see.

Starting on September 13 of this year and lasting until January 1st, 2021, the work of female artists is “taking over” the Art of the Americas wing on the third floor of the museum.

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This is an effort on the part of the MFA to do more to champion diversity in art and bring more attention to work created by artists of diverse backgrounds.

Even if you don’t consider yourself to be into art, supporting this exhibit and the intentions behind it are certainly a positive thing. And you never know, you may just find that you like what you see.

7. Bruins Games

Hockey season is upon us, and the Boston Bruins are playing many a game in their home stadium of TD Garden.

Sports fans are reveling in the return of sporting events, but regardless of your interest level in hockey, or sports as a whole, attending a Bruins game is definitely a good time.

The camaraderie and passion are tangible, at sporting events especially in Boston where team loyalty is so strong. There’s guaranteed to be some great people watching as people get decked out in the team’s gear, drink too much, and take the game way too seriously.

Hockey especially is a fun sport to watch live in ways that can’t be realized by watching it on TV. It’s a uniquely violent sport, and a game would be incomplete without a fight breaking out among the players.

Checking out a Bruins game is a quintessentially Boston activity, and it’s guaranteed to be an exciting time.

8. The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Every Saturday night, the AMC Loews Boston Common Theater shows The Rocky Horror Picture Show. This isn’t your regular movie screening, though. The theater accompanies the showing of the classic movie with an interactive performance with professional actors.

The movie and the performance both have very sexual themes, so be prepared for that before you go- and know that dressing up is highly encouraged. Also know that the event lasts longer than simply the length of the movie, and the start time on your ticket is when the festivities start, but not necessarily the movie itself.

Before the movie starts, the actors, dressed as the characters, interact with the audience by teaching them the “Time Warp”- the iconic song and dance from the movie- and doing other activities with the audience, like taking volunteers to act things out that the rest of the audience then has to guess.

When the movie does start, the audience shadow-casts it, meaning they mime the events underneath the screen as its happening. This adds a new level of interaction and hilarity to the film, and many shows even have themes that they incorporate into their costumes and performance.